What they do
Sell life, property, casualty, health, automotive, or other types of insurance. May refer clients to independent brokers, work as an independent broker, or be employed by an insurance company.
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Also called: |
Insurance Agent, Insurance Broker, Insurance Sales Agent, Sales Agent, Sales Associate, Sales Representative, Underwriting Sales Representative
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Wages
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Vermont - 2021 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 14.41 |
$29,970 |
25% |
$ 23.01 |
$47,850 |
Median |
$ 23.61 |
$49,110 |
75% |
$ 30.32 |
$63,070 |
90% |
$ 57.88 |
$120,390 |
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Average |
$ 31.90 |
$66,350 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Insurance carriers and related activities
| 84% |
| 13% |
- Administrative and support services
| 1% |
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
| 1% |
- Credit intermediation and related activities
| 0% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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- Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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- English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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- Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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- Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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- Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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- Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
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- Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
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- Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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- Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan NECTA |
2018 employment |
502 |
2028 employment |
536 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
0.7% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
53 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Job Zone
Considerable Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(7.0 to < 8.0) - A typical worker will require
over 2 years up to and including 4 years
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level |  | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate |  | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate |  | 7% |
Bachelor's degree |  | 39% |
Associate's degree |  | 16% |
Certificate or some college, no degree |  | 23% |
High school diploma or equivalent |  | 15% |
Less than high school diploma |  | 0% |
More at O*NET |
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Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license: |
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Select a license for details |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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- Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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- Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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- Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Selling or Influencing Others
Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
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- Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Customize financial products or services to meet customer needs.
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- Sell products or services.
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- Explain financial information to customers.
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- Maintain records of sales or other business transactions.
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- Take product orders from customers.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Customize insurance programs to suit individual customers, often covering a variety of risks.
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- Sell various types of insurance policies to businesses and individuals on behalf of insurance companies, including automobile, fire, life, property, medical and dental insurance, or specialized policies, such as marine, farm/crop, and medical malpractice.
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- Explain features, advantages, and disadvantages of various policies to promote sale of insurance plans.
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- Perform administrative tasks, such as maintaining records and handling policy renewals.
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- Seek out new clients and develop clientele by networking to find new customers and generate lists of prospective clients.
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More at O*NET |
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